Team Origin, the British America’s Cup team, has confirmed its entry into the 2nd Trofeo Desafío Español, alongside Alinghi and Desafío Español. CNEV’s annual regatta will be held in Valencia from 6 to 9 November.

This will be the first time Team Origin races on an ACC yacht. Mike Sanderson, Team Director, stated: “We are delighted to be invited to compete in this 2nd CNEV (Club Náutico Español de Vela) regatta as it gives our team the chance to compete in our first ever America’s Cup Version 5 event. I am certainly looking forward to next week’s sailing and also to the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series early next year. It seems like it has been a long time coming!”

Sir Keith Mills, Team Principal added: “This is indeed great news for Team Origin. After considerable delays and frustrations we finally get to go racing!

“Desafio Espanol have kindly offered to lend us one of their AC V5 boats, ESP 88, instead of having to transport our own GBR 75 from the UK. The CNEV regatta provides us with an ideal opportunity to get our team back together and get out on the water against some top teams, including Alinghi and Desafio Espanol with possibly a fourth team to be added.”

The team’s skipper and helmsman Ben Ainslie, explained: “Next week’s regatta in Valencia gives us a prime opportunity to get our team together and go racing against some top teams. It will certainly sharpen us up and probably throw us in at the deep end, competing against prolific names such as Ed Baird steering for Alinghi and Paul Cayard for Desafio Espanol. I am raring to go, as are all of the Team Origin sailing team.”

The British team will travel to Valencia early next week and start sailing on ESP 88 on Wednesday 5 November. Shore teams from the Spanish challenger and Alinghi are now working on the assembly, and on Friday a British crew will continue the work.

According to the Notice of Race for America’s Cup Class v5 boats, the regatta will consist of a maximum of six fleet races. Nevertheless the Race Committee could change the format into a qualifying series with a maximum of four fleet races (Friday and Saturday) and a final series in Match racing (Sunday).

The 2nd edition of the Trofeo Desafío Español includes a training race on Thursday 6 November and three days of competition, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The course to be sailed shall be windward – leeward and it will be located at in front of La Malvarrosa beach in Valencia. CNEV is looking forward to have at least one more team entering the series – the deadline to accept entries is 7 November.